TEHRAN (Tasnim) - New Colombian President Ivan Duque has said that the decision of his predecessor on the recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state will remain in force.

The decision to recognize Palestine was made by Juan Manuel Santos in the last days of his presidency and released on August 8. New Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo promised that it would be carefully examined, Sputnik reported.

"This decision is irreversible," Duque told the Caracol radio station on Monday.

The Israeli Embassy in Bogota has described the decision of Colombia’s previous administration to recognize Palestinian sovereignty as a slap in the face and asked new Colombian authorities to reverse it.

Palestine has been recognized as a sovereign state by almost 140 countries. Manuel Santos was president between 2010 and 2018. He was succeeded by Ivan Duque on August 7.